Banfield Pet Hospital says the dog appeared to have been strangled, possibly during grooming. Wagger’s owner Deidre Bourke admitted that Buddy’s trauma could have happened at her business, but added that the dog was difficult to groom.

“Maybe he slipped off the table or the restraints were way too tight,” Le told FOX40.

Le posted his story to Craigslist and Yelp, which gained traction on social media.

Wagger’s co-owners Bourke and Erin Selover released a statement about Buddy’s case:

“We first want to address our concerns that any injury to a customer’s pet occurred at Wagger’s. The groomer who groomed Buddy is no longer employed by our company. All Vet expenses stemming from this grooming accident are being addressed and handled by our business insurance. We are very upset and sadden by the comments that have shown up on social media in the forms of Craisglist, Yelp, and Facebook from people we have never met. We have been a solid business in the community for 8 years, and our customers know us as a business that cares about its customers and their pets. We wish Buddy, Mr. Le, and his family well and ask them the same for us!”

Le says he’s fine if the business wants to pay for Buddy’s medical bills, but is concerned about his long term health.

Wagger’s said the groomer that worked with Buddy that day is no longer with the business.